Here it is: the final result of all our efforts. We here at the Tribune want to thank you, our readers. Together, I think we have succeeded in making this issue truly special. You turned out in droves to vote this year - we received 51,864 eligible votes during our voting period. That's a lot of you, and we appreciate it; after all, it's not an easy task to sift through nearly 115 categories - yet you did.

Of course, the reputations that made so many businesses and individuals finalists in the Best of Tahoe 2012 are also the culmination of a great deal of effort - days, months or years of great work by the businesses and people who are finalists in each category. Congrats to all of the honorees and runners-up in this issue on your much-deserved honors. Your hard work and efforts make Tahoe's South Shore a destination that people from all over the world come to visit and leave with the anticipation of returning.

Welcome, everyone, to Best of Tahoe 2012, as chosen by our readers. Cheers to all of you, and to another year of bests!